• Welcome aboard HomebuiltAirplanes.com, your destination for connecting with a thriving community of more than 10,000 active members, all passionate about home-built aviation. Dive into our comprehensive repository of knowledge, exchange technical insights, arrange get-togethers, and trade aircrafts/parts with like-minded enthusiasts. Unearth a wide-ranging collection of general and kit plane aviation subjects, enriched with engaging imagery, in-depth technical manuals, and rare archives.

    For a nominal fee of $99.99/year or $12.99/month, you can immerse yourself in this dynamic community and unparalleled treasure-trove of aviation knowledge.

    Embark on your journey now!

    Click Here to Become a Premium Member and Experience Homebuilt Airplanes to the Fullest!

Flying Fleas are more than just 2 axis. No problems with crosswinds!

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

nestofdragons

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2016
Messages
875
Location
Near Antwerp, Belgium
Let me explain. Most people know Flying Fleas as very bizarre airplanes that have a funny way of being steered. True! But ...that design was made to get Henri Mignet, who considered himself as a bad pilot in normal airplanes, airborne in a safe way. I will not tell here more about that , you can read it all here: flying flea - Nest of Dragons

I like to focus here on the fact that many fear the Flying Flea as they see it only as a 2 axis. True and ...not true. If you build a Flying Flea like mentioned on the plans, it is pure two axis. But ...adding a split Cousandy flap on the rear wing is super easy to do and ...it gives you full control against crosswinds during landings. Next picture is a split Cousandy flap on the rear wing of a construction by a friend, Hans Engels.
mon062.jpg
You see in the picture that it is only a piano hinge. The flap goes only upwards. You control those separate parts with two levers like in this HM14/360 cockpit by Tim Bruton (USA). You can see similar levers at the left side of the cockpit. Here they have another function, but ...they are being controlled in the same way.
IMG_0636.jpg

Here you see two Flying Fleas with their split Cousandy flap. First one is a Croses, second one a HM293.
e026.jpge049.jpg
So ...don't fear those tiny Flying Fleas. They are easy to steer, easy to make, easy to store thanks to the folding wings.
Here (Available models - Nest of Dragons)you see the most known Flying Flea models. By the way ..did you know that ALL Flying Flea plans by the Mignet family are not FOR FREE online. The last family member wanted to share the Mignet work with the world. I just love them for their work in aviation for the man of the street.
JimBruton.jpgPont2005_074.jpge002.jpge100.jpg

I hope i have helped to better understand this remarkable airplane.

Keep that brain spawning wings,

Koen (pronounced as racoon without ra)
 
Back
Top